Texas Instruments Corporation

National Semiconductor Corporation

Roozbeh Parsa

William David French

Peter J Hopper

Ann Gabrys

Terry Dyer

Paul Mawson

Nathan Brockie

Yuri Mirgorodski

Trevor Niblock

Iouri N Mirgorodski

Steven Hunt

Philipp Lindorfer

Andrei Papou

Martin Fallon

David Brian McDonald

Dok Won Lee

Andrew Derek Strachan

Natalia Lavrovskaya

Will Kiang Wong

Saurabh Desai

Noboru Nakanishi

Mark Willam Poulter

Byron Jon Roderick Shulver

Andrew James West

Anston Joel Lobo

An integrated sensor includes a sensor cell, a signal source, an input optical rotator, and a signal detector. The integrated sensor includes a positioner for a signal-processing component. The positioner may be a linear positioner for the signal-processing component, such as a signal source or a signal detector, or may be a rotational positioner for the signal-processing component, such as a polarizer or a polarized signal source. The signal-processing component is located on a signal path of the integrated sensor. A method of adjusting a linear position or rotational position of a signal-processing component is also disclosed. A linear position or a rotational position of the signal-processing component may be adjusted to improve performance of the integrated sensor.

Component adjustment in a signal path of an integrated sensor

An integrated microfabricated sensor includes a sensor cell having a cell body, a first window attached to the cell body, and a second window attached to the cell body. The cell body laterally surrounds a cavity, so that both windows are exposed to the cavity. The sensor cell contains a sensor fluid material in the cavity. The cavity has concave profiles at cell body walls, so that the cavity is wider in a central region, approximately midway between the first window and the second window, than at the first surface and at the second surface. The cell body walls of the cell body have acute interior angles at both windows. The cell body is formed using an etch process that removes material from the cell body concurrently at the first surface and the second surface, forming the acute interior angles at both the first surface and the second surface.

Concave cavity for integrated microfabricated sensor

An integrated microfabricated alkali vapor cell sensor includes two alkali vapor regions, with a signal path through each. One or two signal emitters, with associated optical signal rotators, such as quarter wave plates, provide circularly polarized input signals into the alkali vapor regions, so that a first signal through the first alkali vapor region is circularly polarized in an opposite direction from a second signal through the second alkali vapor region. Output signals from the two alkali vapor regions are transformed to linearly polarized signals and then measured by one or more signal detectors. A first Larmor frequency is estimated from the output signal from the first alkali vapor region, and a second Larmor frequency is estimated from the output signal from the second alkali vapor region. A heading error-free Larmor frequency is estimated from the first Larmor frequency and the second Larmor frequency.

Integrated microfabricated alkali vapor cell sensor with reduced heading error

An integrated microfabricated vapor cell sensor includes a transparent sensor cell body. The cell body has a cavity for a sensor fluid vapor which is covered by a first plate attached to the cell body. The sensor has a first signal path extending from a first signal emitter, through the cell body, through the cavity, through the cell body again, and to a first signal detector, and a second signal path extending through the cavity. The second signal path intersects the first signal path in the cavity. The second signal path may extend through the cell body, or may extend through the first plate. The signal emitters and signal detectors are located in the integrated microfabricated vapor cell sensor.

Integrated microfabricated vapor cell sensor with transparent body having two intersecting signal paths

A micro-fabricated atomic clock structure is thermally insulated so that the atomic clock structure can operate with very little power in an environment where the external temperature can drop to &#x2212;40&#xb0; C., while at the same time maintaining the temperature required for the proper operation of the VCSEL and the gas within the vapor cell.

Micro-fabricated atomic clock structure and method of forming the atomic clock structure

An integrated microfabricated sensor includes a sensor cell having a cell body, a first window attached to a first surface, and a second window attached to a second surface, opposite to the first window. The cell body laterally surrounds a cavity, so that the first window and the second window are exposed to the cavity. The sensor cell contains a sensor fluid material in the cavity. The cell body has recesses on opposing exterior sides of the cell body; each recess extends from the first surface to the second surface. Exterior portions of the cell body wall in the recesses are recessed from singulation surfaces on the cell body exterior. The cell body is formed by etching the cavity and the recesses concurrently through a body substrate. After the windows are attached, the sensor cell is singulated from the body substrate through the recesses.

Microfabricated atomic clocks and magnetometers utilizing side recesses

A microfabricated sensor includes a sensor cell with a cell body and a window attached to the cell body. A sensor cavity containing sensor fluid material is located in cell body, open to the window. A signal path extends from a signal emitter outside the sensor cell, through the window and sensor cavity, and to a signal detector. The sensor cell may have an asymmetric thermal configuration, conducive to developing a temperature gradient in the sensor cell. One or more heaters are disposed on the sensor cell, possibly in an asymmetric configuration. Power is applied to the heaters, possibly asymmetrically, so as to develop a temperature gradient in the sensor cell with a low temperature region in the sensor cell, sufficient to condense the sensor fluid in the low temperature region, outside of the signal path.

Temperature gradient in microfabricated sensor cavity

A microfabricated sensor includes a first reflector and a second reflector in a sensor cell, separated by a cavity path segment through a sensor cavity in the sensor cell. A signal window is part of the sensor cell. A signal emitter and a signal detector are disposed outside of the sensor cavity. The signal emitter is separated from the first reflector by an emitter path segment which extends through the signal window. The second reflector is separated from the second reflector by a detector path segment which extends through the signal window.

Extended signal paths in microfabricated sensors

A sensor cell has a chamber that defines an internal sensor volume for a sensor fluid in a vapor phase. A signal path extends into the internal sensor volume. The sensor cell includes a condensation reservoir for a condensed phase of the sensor fluid, in fluid communication with the internal sensor volume. The signal path is spatially separate from the condensation reservoir. During operation of the sensor cell, some of the sensor fluid may be converted to a vapor phase in the internal sensor volume. During such operation, sensor fluid in the condensed phase is disposed in the condensation reservoir, advantageously out of the signal path, leaving the signal path desirably free of the condensed phase sensor fluid. During periods of non-operation, a significant portion of the sensor fluid may condense from the vapor phase to the condensed phase in the condensation reservoir, advantageously out of the signal path.

Sensor fluid reservoirs for microfabricated sensor cells

A magnetic sensor has a circuit segment with a quadrupole region. The quadrupole region includes a supply line, a first return line and a second return line, all in a conductor layer. The first supply line is laterally adjacent to the supply line on a first side, and the second return line is laterally adjacent to the supply line on a second, opposite side. A space between the supply line and the first return line is free of the conductor layer; similarly, a space between the supply line and the second return line is free of the conductor layer. The first return line and the second return line are electrically coupled to the supply line at a terminus of the circuit segment.

Wiring layout to reduce magnetic field

The cost and size of an atomic magnetometer are reduced by attaching together a first die which integrates together a vapor cell, top and side photo detectors, and processing electronics, a second die which integrates together an optics package and a heater for the vapor cell, and a third die which integrates together a VCSEL, a heater for the VCSEL, and control electronics.

Die-sized atomic magnetometer and method of forming the magnetometer

A first apparatus includes a vapor cell having first and second cavities fluidly connected by multiple channels. The first cavity is configured to receive a material able to dissociate into one or more gases that are contained within the vapor cell. The second cavity is configured to receive the one or more gases. The vapor cell is configured to allow radiation to pass through the second cavity. A second apparatus includes a vapor cell having a first wafer with first and second cavities and a second wafer with one or more channels fluidly connecting the cavities. The first cavity is configured to receive a material able to dissociate into one or more gases that are contained within the vapor cell. The second cavity is configured to receive the one or more gases. The vapor cell is configured to allow radiation to pass through the second cavity.

Vapor cell structure having cavities connected by channels for micro-fabricated atomic clocks, magnetometers, and other devices

A optoelectronic package includes an inner package with a dielectric substrate having at least a first dielectric level with a photodetector (PD) die on a die attach area, first routing connecting a first contact to a first external bond pad (FEBP), and second routing connecting a second contact to a second external bond pad (SEBP). An outer package (OP) includes a ceramic substrate including a light source die on a base portion in direct line of sight with the PD including a first electrode and second electrode. A first wire bond connects the FEBP to a first terminal, a second wire bond connects the SEBP to a second terminal, a third wire bond connects the first electrode to a third terminal, and a fourth wire bond connects the second electrode to a fourth terminal.

Optoelectronic package

An apparatus includes a vapor cell having multiple cavities fluidly connected by one or more channels. At least one of the cavities is configured to receive a first material able to dissociate into one or more gases that are contained within the vapor cell. At least one of the cavities is configured to receive a second material able to absorb at least a portion of the one or more gases. The vapor cell could include a first cavity configured to receive the first material and a second cavity fluidly connected to the first cavity by at least one first channel, where the second cavity is configured to receive the gas(es). The vapor cell could also include a third cavity fluidly connected to at least one of the first and second cavities by at least one second channel, where the third cavity is configured to receive the second material.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Roozbeh Parsa